Sep 5 Say Hello to Snoo

While beginning the journey into parenthood, one often hears that there are sleepless nights and crying to look forward to especially during the first few months of a baby’s life. After having 7 children, I can certainly say that there is some truth to those words. Every baby is different of course, but there have been those times where getting the baby to sleep the right amount has been a challenge, and for many parents out there it can be a constant struggle.

Today, though, there is a brand-new solution that has been making headlines. Say Hello to Snoo, the newest sleeping bassinet from Happiest Baby. I’ll be sharing our feedback on this wonderful new innovation today.

Snoo is a design collaboration with doctors, scientists, and parents. The idea is providing a solution that will allow your baby to sleep more fully and learn to be soothed back to sleep automatically utilizing natural swaying movements and white noise to help calm a baby’s cry. Science and research have shown time and again how soothing rocking motion and white noise can help to soothe a crying baby.

Safety

One of the first things that we noticed after getting Snoo all set up were all the safety features that have gone into the design. The surrounding walls are a beautiful open mesh design that allows for maximum breathability all around the baby. It also includes a unique swaddle sack that allows the parent to safely swaddle the baby in about 5 seconds, it really is quick and easy, and then it includes two wing attachments that clip onto the sides of the mattress bed to ensure the baby stays on his back.This was really comforting as we have seen how even a new baby can jerk and roll a bit to the side and can stay there as they just aren’t strong enough to control it.

Smart Listening

For us, this was one of the most interesting features, and it is what really allows parents to relax and have less worry during nap time and sleeping.There are smart microphones all around in Snoo that will detect and analyze the babies nose. If it detects sounds of being upset or crying, it will automatically adjust the motion and sound to a level that will help to calm that situation. Once it detects that the baby has calmed down then it adjusts back down to the calming sleep level.

One concern though that I had when testing this feature out though was if it would become too aggressive for our newborn baby. This is an area though that Happiest Baby has built into the settings.

The Settings

This is an important step, so I want to be sure to mention this in its own section. When you get Snoo, it is important that you also download the app for it. In it, you will be able to connect your smartphone to Snoo and configure it for your baby. For younger babies, there is a limited setting that will only allow Snoo to go up to Level 2 for soothing. Once it detects that the baby isn’t calming down at that level (Most likely because the baby is hungry, and it’s time to feed him.) then it will shut off and send you a notification that the baby needs to assistance.

One fun fact about this feature as well is that if you happen to step out and you have a sitter watching your baby, you will still get notifications on your phone which will allow you to know that the baby needs to be picked up and you can check that all is well. This is a nice peace of mind.

The Sound & Motion

Many parents have asked us if there is a way to just have the rocking motion and no sound, but I have confirmed that they are both linked, so the sound and rocking motion will always be on together. The sounds though are designed to help the baby during all levels of sleep, with sounds of rain and other similar mixes for calming sleep and sounds of the womb are added in to help calm an upset baby. The motion also shifts to a more vibrating motion to help calm the baby when he is upset.

All levels of Snoo are safe and the Snoo app allows parents to customize the experience. If the parents want to, they are able to use the app to lock it on certain levels or to turn on the Level Limiting feature, which stops the Snoo from leveling up past level two. Snoo will shut off at the higher levels if it detects the baby isn’t calming and should be picked up.

When you want to begin to wean your baby off Snoo (most parents do this at 5-6 months), you can turn on the weaning feature. When the weaning feature is on, Snoo will still respond per usual to your baby’s cries to soothe him. What’s different is that Snoo will no longer provide all-night motion.

The Result

I don’t think that any technology will ever fully replace a parent’s intuition and care when it comes to helping a baby sleep. Snoo, however, has been an amazing tool to have, and it really has helped our newest baby to sleep better overall than we have seen with our other children. We still have the nighttime feedings, which is really being part of the wonder and joy of a newborn, but having less need to pick up the baby with every startle or jerk to calm back down has truly been a lifesaver.

Should you get the Snoo?

If you are looking for a truly remarkable tool to help you and your baby to rest better and ensure safe sleeping, it definitely is worth the investment, plus the design and look is very pleasing and should go well in almost any decor. Since it is freestanding, you can easily move it in any room; you just need to have an outlet in the room to plug in. Also, one thing to note, you will need a wireless network installed in your home in order to make use of the app control. It will work manually with the button, but you can’t customize the settings. Just something to keep in mind.

Snoo has been a joy to have in the home, and I only wish it had been around years ago.

They can never have enough of him. I don't know how we lived before him.

Snoo has been a lifesaver, it's not a mommy-replacer, nothing ever is, but it has been of a great help.

Boys are obsessed in every way possible with another boy, I don't think they even need any other Christmas gifts, but more pacifiers to give to Elisey.

Look at those tippy toes! She's absolutely obsessed with Elisey (IG stories, anyone? :) ), but to be completely honest, right here she is obsessed with Snoo and how it works.